Missions 1 & 2: Closure
Red Ruby looked at the stallion standing in front of her desk before looking over to Golden Glitter standing next to him, both at full attention.
“You may go.”
Glitter gave the slightest, almost imperceptible move of hesitation. She looked as if she had wanted to say something, but then thought better of it. She understood right now that there was nothing she could say to change the inevitable and that she was no longer required there. She stood at attention, saluted, turned and exited the office after a half-hearted ‘Yes, ma’am’. Ruby waited until the gentle sound of the door closing sounded through her office before getting up and using her magic to pour herself a cup of some strong cider. She thought about offering it to Semper, but knew better. Slowly she took a sip and hovered two ice cubes from the ice bucket and dropped them into her glass, making sure to swirl it around a few times to aerate the delectable flavors before making her way back to her desk. She was keeping an eye on the stallion as she did so. He did not move whatsoever, remaining as still as a statue, and as resolute and unbreakable. The sound of the old clock ticking in the background was all that could be heard until Ruby leaned back in her seat, making the leather creak under the shift of weight, and sighed.
She placed her drink delicately on the left side of the desk and hovered a large stack of papers from her right, plopping them in the center closest to the stallion. “Where do I begin? I’ve obviously read the report, and… well, it’s simply incredible. Even for me, and I read quite a lot of reports. I had sent you out with the mission to improve our relations with Zebrica, and I get this.” She patted the stack of papers with her right hoof.
“Ma’am, my primary objective was accomplished, ma’am.”
“Yes, yes. I know it was, but you don’t seem to understand the significance of what you did. It’s still very hard for me to believe, even at this point and with evidence to the fact. So we’re going to go over it again.”
“As you wish, ma’am.”
“I do wish. We’ll start from when you returned to this city,” Ruby lifted up a notepad where she had compiled some questions, and adjusted her glasses. She read the name, “Lost Hope.”
“Ma’am, you mean Freeport, ma’am.”
Ruby suppressed a smile. “Fine. Freeport. Tell me everything. Don’t leave out any details.”
The captain fumbled around in the dark. He would have used his horn, but he already knew the futility of it. Still, some light was better than none. He took off his hat, pushed his mane to the side and held his breath. The faint glow from his horn reacted, slowly glowing brighter and brighter. He wished that he had other unicorns with him at that moment. The ones from the manna reactor were alive, but one of those huge bolts of lightning had struck the ship boring through the hull. The manna reactor must have been damaged -- the manna batteries were dying at an extremely rapid rate. The hum of the engines was starting to change pitch, getting lower and lower, and signifying a decrease in speed and power. If the engines pushing the ship failed, then everything would’ve been for nothing.
The Guard had gone off somewhere, but not before telling him to bring the griffin airship down, essentially landing it on the water below. An airship is not designed for water, but it was perhaps their best bet. Better be in the water than slamming into it from on high.
His hoof felt something in a drawer and he gasped in reaction. Instantly his horn’s light went out. He cursed quietly and once again took a deep breath, trying to push magic through his horn. It was a lot harder for him this time, it always was. He looked inside again and took the object out, and smiled. In another second he had refocused his magic to a tiny dot of fire just an inch from his face and placed the end of the object into it. The fire took after a second and the captain pulled the candle away letting the light bathe the room in its soft glow. He gasped once it was far enough away from his face, experience with lighting candles with his horn had taught him. The lit candle seemed like a sun in the overwhelming darkness of the outside.
It was hard to move around when the ship kept heaving from side to side. It was a miracle that they hadn’t smashed into one of those deadly clouds yet, or another tongue of lightning hadn’t ripped them apart.
Finally, he found it. Well, found one piece of the puzzle. Unlike his airship, which could be sailed by a single equine, these larger manna ships were designed for a crew working together almost as effectively as the machinery itself. Most larger ships were. The wheel was useless for now -- no matter which way he went the engulfing darkness made him practically blind. All he knew was that he needed to force this vessel to descend at a steady pace, then to guess where the Eleonora was and hopefully crash near enough to it to be rescued. Now all he needed to do was head in the Eleonora’s general direction.
He walked towards the rear of the bridge and felt around. His hoof touched something he thought was familiar and lowered his candle to see. He was greeted by the remains of a very dead griffin, his hoof touching a sword that had pinned the corpse to the wall. Blood oozed from a gaping wound and had dried along the beak, a faraway look in those eyes. There had been too many deaths today. He glanced around and finally found what he was looking for. He pushed the lever forwards and as the engines below groaned and creaked, he heard something to his left and right moan. The flaps were moving, and judging from the sound the lines, ropes or metallic wires that controlled them were strained beyond their means. But there was no time to worry about that for now. After a few moments the airship started tilting forwards slowly and gradually, but the winds themselves seemed to have other intentions for the airship. The sheer force was somehow pushing the airship upwards.
“Always something!” the captain groaned. If only Bones were here. He half expected him to appear, but he knew better. He was in a better place now.
A crackle echoed through one of the pipes.
“We are descending,” came the voice. Again, it wasn’t a question.
The captain made a face. Did that Guard have any emotion? “Yeah, but not fast enough. We’re gonna get ripped apart unless we do something! We need more power to the engines and force this thing down. The winds are keeping us aloft. I don’t know where the unicorn went.”
“The unicorn is with me. Get this ship down.”
“I can’t!” The captain yelled back.
“You will.”
The captain wanted to shout something back, but could not think of anything appropriate to say. Again, he found himself wishing Bones was still alive. What annoyed him the most was that the Guard was right. He could bring the ship down. He just didn’t want to be told.
He muttered under his breath and prepared himself. He swung the wheel to the left and felt the ship lurch to starboard, sending him slamming into the wall. He cursed under his breath again and pushed himself up, making his way towards the wheel at the sharp angle he had overcompensated for. It was like walking up a steep incline. His footing slipped, and he realised that the airship was leaning too far. If he didn’t do something it would flip over, or slam sideways into the waters below.
He had lost his ship, he had lost many comrades and friends. He wasn’t going to lose his life. Not now. Not when he finally had the one he loved waiting for him.
With all the effort he could muster, he reached over to an axe that was within reach and slammed it into the floor. Its sharp blade stuck itself easily into the metal flooring, and the captain pulled himself up and pushed the wheel as hard as he could. The ship responded almost immediately, sending him sailing through the air and landing hard against the floor.
Rushing to the lever once more, he pushed it all the way and felt the griffin airship tilt dangerously forwards. He had no idea how far down they were or how close they were to the water. All he knew was that the clouds seemed to be no longer a threat, as he could see somewhat in the gloomy darkness. The rain, somehow, was making things lighter. Perhaps it was the stark contrast between the two versions of darkness, but he could make out the clouds above the airship and the flicker of lightning above them was not as vivid, bright or dangerous as it was moments before.
Had they escaped?
He reset the lever and counted the seconds as the airship pulled out of the sharp dive. He half expected the ship to suddenly stop after smashing into the water, sending him flying through the bridge window. He waited for a few seconds more before daring to breathe a sigh of relief.
Just then, a light blazed through the darkness bathing everything in an eerie white glow. What was the Guard doing? He would give away their position. Perhaps there were other griffin airships around that would use the light to pinpoint them and blow them out of the sky.
As if on cue, a griffin landed on deck followed by a pegasi, then another and another. They all stood staring at each other, some tried to raise their weapons, but most were content in just accepting their fate, whatever it may be.
If only there were unicorns. Right now a good dose of magic was what they needed.
The light swiveled around to the Guard standing atop a bunch of boxes. He shouted something to the gathering of pegasi and griffins and they all sheathed and put away their various weapons. All of them. As if he were their commander. What kind of being did it take to make words alone enough to stop the fighting? Perhaps he revealed the desperate situation they were in. Perhaps he made them succumb to their empathy. Or he just told them to do it and they obeyed. That was most likely what he did. The captain could almost see the authority emanating from him, like fire.
The captain found himself revitalized by what he saw, and he had to admit that in this situation, any morale boost was a welcomed accolade. The Guard began saying something and, as if by natural instinct, the griffins and Watu began to group themselves and began to do whatever it was they were ordered to. That was when the captain noted a small group of griffins and pegasi headed towards the bridge.
A group piled in.
“Captain!” a pegasi shouted almost as soon as he was in view of the open door.
“Rapid?” The captain almost danced in glee when he saw him. “You’re alive!”
“Aye. Where’s Bones?”
The captain did not respond.
“I see.” Rapid sat down where he stood, his eyes wide with shock. “Wow. Bones? That’s… wow.”
“He’s better off now,” the captain growled not really wanting to be reminded any more of the stallion.
“The Guard said that we are yours to command. What are your orders?” a voice asked. It was a Watu and he stood beside two griffins.
“They know this ship?” the captain asked.
“They admitted they were on the bridge of the other airships. The ones that went down.” The Watu replied. “The ships should be similar enough.”
“Fine. I need one of them to be at the elevation controls. The other needs to be at the drop mechanism thingy. We’re going to have to drop ourselves in front of the Eleonora. Our primary objective is to find it. Everyone here is to keep watch on all sides for any sign of that ship.”
The Watu turned and spoke to the griffins in their native tongue. They both nodded and after a few seconds, were at the stations they were required. The Watu walked and stood next to the captain. “The Guard has stated that since I can speak their tongue, I am to be your voice. I will convey your orders.”
“My voice, eh?” the captain replied. “But if I sing, you’ve got to sing too, got it?”
The Watu did not bat an eyelid. “I will attempt to do so.”
“Good enough! Now, get that light shining down to the bottom. I need some distance! How far are we from the water?” If he was going to die, at least he had one of his crew with him. “Ready to sing a little ditty with me, Watu?”
“Sir! A light has been spotted bearing on our twelve o’clock,” Nautical stated. “It’s dead ahead.”
Wish looked up and furrowed her brow. “Ahead? Any idea who it could be?”
“It’s bigger than the Lipizzan, so it must be a griffin ship. Shall we prepare for combat?”
Wish nodded. “Get the lights changed and light her up. Part of the mission was to attempt to capture the griffin ships. We don’t know if it’s still under griffin control, or if it’s under ours! Signal for her to surrender and that they must permit our boarding party to board their vessel.”
“Aye-aye, sir!” Nautical turned to the pipes and echoed the orders.
Deep in her gut, Wish tried to suppress the urgent need to run up to the deck and see the response herself. She wanted to see it respond, that it was indeed captured, and that her dear captain was safe and sound. But she could not. She had to remain here and maintain order. And she hated that fact.
“You better be alive up there,” Wish whispered to the ether.
Broad beams of light pierced the sky and focused on the airship they were on. All who saw it had to shield their eyes due to its intense brightness.
“I think we found it,” Rapid stated stupidly. “The Eleonora’s right over there, cap’n.”
“Impossible,” a voice stated.
It wasn’t the captain’s.
“It can’t be…” another whispered.
It wasn’t the captain’s.
“How in Tartarus-?”
That was the captain’s voice.
“They’re signaling us,” Rapid put in when nobody said anything further.
The captain shoved Rapid aside and rushed towards the door out of the bridge, but stopped and poked his head back through the half-open door. “Keep at this altitude and do not turn her!”
“I am guessing that our song is over then?” the Watu asked.
The captain smirked. “For now. We’ve got to respond! Someone get that unicorn to shine that light and signal! Remember, not to turn this ship. The last thing we need is for them to think we’re attempting a broadside and getting our plots knocked out of the sky. Let’s tell ‘em that we have the ship and that the griffins have surrendered her. Also, we’re out of power! We need unicorns!”
The captain shouted the last part and rushed outside into the rain and onto the deck. He wanted to see if he could see Wish, but he knew deep down that she would not leave the safety of the Flag Bridge deep within her decks. Still, the closer he could get to her the better. There was no harm in that.
He stopped and looked around.
“Hey… where’s Bones?” the captain asked looking at where he had last seen the stallion.
Of course, he was given no response. He understood. When he had turned the ship to the side to drop her down below the cloud line, the body must have fallen off. He smirked at the thought. Perhaps it was meant to be that way. Bones did say that the grave on the hill was his, but for the older version of him. Pip. Perhaps Bones belonged to the sky and ocean where his home had been for so long, and now lay deep in the cold abyss.
Shrugging off the thought, the captain saw the unicorn -- a very young, skinny mare -- walked over to her and smiled. “Signal to her before she blows us out of the sky! We’re saved! If we can get this ship down without crashing, that is.”
The unicorn looked at the captain blankly.
The captain was about to repeat what he said, but the Watu from the bridge had followed him outside to the deck and placed a hoof on his shoulder. The captain looked at the Watu for moment before the warrior spoke in pure Griffon. At once the unicorn, who grew up with the griffins and did not speak a word of Equestrian, replied excitedly. Despite not knowing how to reply, she would do her very best. At this, the captain stated that all she needed to do was keep the light active and he’d do the signals himself. Once that was explained by the Watu, the unicorn happily obliged.
As the captain finished signalling and was extremely satisfied with the response, he turned to the unicorn and smiled. “What’s it feel like to be free?”
She smiled. “Frei. Yes!” and she clopped her hooves excitedly as she stared at the group of pegasi carrying unicorns towards the airship. “Is good!”
Wish raised her head off the captain’s shoulder and pushed a stray hair of his reddish-brown mane from his deep, dark-blue eyes, staring into them. The captain, in turn, gave her a peck on the lips. They lay in each other’s embrace for a moment longer before the captain broke the silence.
“What were the odds?”
“Beg your pardon?” Wish asked, slipping out of the bed and making her way to the toilet.
The captain watched her go. “I mean, how we found you. The Eleonora. We were lost in those clouds, fighting for so long. Just never realized how far we drifted off course in that chaos.”
The sound of water running silenced any conversation for a moment. Wish returned and dried her face with a towel, neatly hanging it on the back of a very simple looking chair.
“I didn’t realize how far we traveled,” the captain added, and watched as Wish began to put on her uniform.
Wish looked at the stallion. “You were following the winds against your will. It isn’t surprising in the least.”
“For the most part, yes, I would agree with you. The winds were too strong. Imagine manna ships being shoved off course, being at the utter mercy of the winds.” The captain sighed and leaned deeper into the pillows. “Yeah, we kinda just went with the flow, but that’s not the part I’m still unable to get over.”
“Both our ships travelled the path of least resistance. For you, you traveled where the wind was strongest, and the clouds were thinnest. We did the same thing. We followed the strongest air currents. The Eleonora moves much slower than an airship, and slower still considering the amount of damage to the hull. It was only natural that we’d end up in the same area eventually.”
“Again, not my point.”
“The Guard?” Wish asked.
“The Guard.” The captain sighed and sat up in the bed and leaned against the post putting his hooves behind his head. “The. Guard.”
“I’m still unable to properly process everything. The ship. Blood. The dragon. You. All of it. It… it’s all too perfect,” Wish replied, her cheeks glowing slightly.
The captain smiled and leaned on his hoof. “Why don’t you come back to bed for a bit longer? All this talk about winds has—”
“Stop right there,” Wish stated. “Just so that we’re clear, I am still the captain of this ship and I have duties that I must do. Despite what I feel for you my duty is to the ship. I must make sure that everything is going according to plan. Our lives count on it.”
The captain made a face, but he didn’t press the matter. “I’ll meet you in a bit. Still feeling a little groggy.”
“Take your time.” Wish started to walk out, but she stopped before she opened the door. “I am glad you came back to me alive. I owe the Guard. And for that, I will obey him.”
The captain looked away. “Oh stop. You’ll make me jealous.”
Wish rolled her eyes, but she had a small smile on her lips. “Just don’t go picking a fight with him.”
“I’m not suicidal,” The captain shot back.
Wish blinked at that, not expecting such an answer. She smiled and stepped out, closing the door to her personal chambers behind her.
In the hallway she saw two stallions standing at the end of the hall that led to the officer’s quarters. When they spotted her, they instantly began walking towards her. Each were Watu and both had a stack of papers for her. She had told them to come at the appointed time and was impressed with their punctuality. In fact, there were a lot of things about the Watu she had taken for granted. Unlike her crew, who were capable of mistakes, the Watu were not given that luxury. A mistake led to death, even from each other. She wondered what would happen to them once this was all over.
“What is the prognosis on the repairs on the hulls?”
“Sir, the lower decks are still flooded, but the teams have been working non-stop to empty them. The pumps are being repaired and the unicorns are saving their magical power to power them once they are completed. The dogs have been extremely helpful in this matter. The other freed slaves are being trained by other Watu.”
“Trained?” Wish asked.
“Yes, sir. As per the Omega’s orders.”
“I see. The Omega, is it? Very well. And the airships?”
The other Watu spoke up. “The Heldenhaft is fully operational. The other ship, the Abenteurer, is in very bad shape. Apart from major engine trouble due to lightning strikes, some of the primary cannons are working and most of the Wallarmbrusts are beyond salvaging. There isn’t enough ammunition and the griffins use a different projectile shape and design from what we do. There is a limited number of shells.”
“Can we offload what is on the Heldenhaft and transfer it to the Abenteurer?”
The two Watu looked at one another. “The Omega has already given that order and it has been done.”
“I see.” Wish didn’t like that. Something like that should always go through her, not via the Guard. “What about the main cannons?”
“All in working condition, but we lost half the shells when the front deck was flooded to flush out the ursas. We are having teams move some of the rear projectiles forward, but the Guard says that there is no need.”
“No need? We’re sailing right into the salve capital of our side of the world! We’re bringing back freed slaves! He doesn’t think it is necessary to be fully armed and ready?” Wish stopped and turned on the two Watu. “Where is the Guard now?”
The two exchanged looks again. “We don’t know, sir. I can check and see, sir.”
“Never mind. Just inform him that I would like to see him when he is free. I will be in the Flag Bridge.” Wish stomped away, leaving the two Watu to go about their orders.
It had been three days since the captain and the others were found on that crippled airship. It took another day for them to get out of the chaotic border-winds that split the two kingdoms apart. The anomaly had settled down by then, as ‘settled down’ as it could be. But they were not out of the fire just yet. The Guard had ordered that they make their way back to Lost Hope, and that was the end of it. She would obey. As far as she was concerned, this was the Guard’s ship now. Still, she didn’t like it one bit. She had no idea what this Guard was thinking.
There were mix feelings aboard the Eleonora. The freed slaves, especially the dogs, were extremely excited, but most of the slaves that had escaped via the lifeboats had vanished. Perhaps the waves had claimed them, or they had managed to find their own way out of the chaotic storm. Many were picked up, but what was a sizeable force was now a considerable army. With the knowledge that they were free, they were easily rallied and apparently being trained in basic combat maneuvers in one of the lower decks by one of the Watu commanders.
Most of the pegasi were fed up. They had gone through the most harrowing ordeal they would ever face and it was quite clear that nothing could convince them to pick up their armor and face another battle. There wouldn’t be a mutiny about it, that was for sure, but there were going to be a lot of disobeying from the pegasi.
She entered the bridge and froze. Nautical was looking over maps with a dark blue stallion next to him. She recognized the uniform right away, but there was something different about it as well. Something she couldn’t tell just yet.
“Sir, I wish to talk with you.” Wish walked over and placed herself next to the stallion.
The stallion turned to face her, two eyes as hard as stone stared deep into her soul.
Despite her best efforts, the captain of the Eleonora still took a step back away from him. Those eyes burned into her very soul, they seemed to see her for what she was. Still she suppressed the urge to gulp and waited patiently for permission to speak.
“I am listening.”
“I have been informed that you feel it is not required to transfer the shells and redistribute our firepower effectively? Might I remind you that the ship is crippled and that assaulting Lost Hope would be–”
“Sir, we are not attacking Lost Hope,” Nautical cut in before she could finish her thought.
There was a lingering silence before the obvious question. “Why?”
“There is no need,” the Guard simply stated.
“No need?”
“None. They will surrender. By the time the Eleonora reaches Lost Hope, everything will be over.”
“Then why train the slaves? Why make them learn to fight?” Wish asked, completely ignoring protocol.
The Guard looked at her for a moment, as if gauging to see if he had heard the question right. “In order to maintain order. And to teach them something new. Even if they are not going into combat, the discipline they will learn will assist them in their future endeavors.”
“You’re… rehabilitating them?” Wish asked completely astonished.
“No. I’m maintaining order,” The Guard stated simply, then turned his attention back on the maps.
Garim sighed as she gazed out the window. It was boring when the ship wasn’t in. Nothing to do, nothing to see, nobody to bug, and too much free time. She looked at the large gathering of slaves in the enclosure below and tried to ignore it. At one point many years ago, this was supposed to be a port to establish a trade route between Equestria and the Griffin Empire. Too bad it didn’t work out quite that way. Over time, with Equestria and her own internal problems, several parts that used to be part of her borders slowly became their own unique autonomous bodies.
Now she was stuck here, after buying passage on the Eleonora to head towards a society that promised way too much and gave too little. Griffins being granted passage into Equestria were rare indeed, and even if she did manage to smuggle her way into the pony kingdom, there was a standing treaty between the two entities. Any griffin not authorized to be there had to be sent back.
A part of her shuddered. She had been sent back, went through the ‘re-education’ process and somehow managed to escape aboard the Eleonora once more. It had cost her everything, but it was worth it to get away from there. She saw what was wrong and hated it, but what could a single griffin do against the entire might of the Griffin Empire? Her father, a noble within one of the households, was assassinated when she was a mere hatchling. His mother was taken as merchandise when her family went bankrupt and sold to another noble as a concubine. She managed to be spared that fate by being ‘adopted’ by her mother’s maidservant, who summarily sold her on to another family. Luckily for her, this family were decent folk.
Still, being trapped by circumstances near Equestria was better than being free in the Griffin Empire.
Her thoughts were cut short when she heard a heavy knocking on her door.
“Enter.”
“Ma’am, we have a problem,” a Watu stated and stood aside as another Watu walked in. A pegasus. “He’s from the Eleonora.”
This newcomer did not salute her. Garim cocked her head to one side. That was curious. “What can I do for you?”
“Blood’s dead,” he stated bluntly.
If Garim had not been sitting, she doubted her legs would have held her up. “W-what did you just say?”
“Blood is dead. Killed. I am here on orders to inform all leaders of Lost Hope that both Blood and the dragon were killed during the crossing towards the Griffin Empire. The ship and the freed slaves are returning here with the Eleonora, and two captured griffin airships. I am also here to convey a standing order that when the Eleonora arrives, that all slaves are to be freed and the remaining Watu are to turn in their weapons and await further orders.”
Then suddenly a violent burst of a high-pitched, half-crazed laugh sounded from the griffin. “Blood dead? Eleonora captured? Dragon killed? Do you really expect me to believe such nonsense–”
The Watu shook his head. “No. I have orders to hand this over to you should you doubt the authenticity of my account.” He placed a basket on the table. “I believe this will absolve any questions.”
The griffin looked at the basket and knew what it was. No slaver wouldn’t have. She stuck out her lower beak and inhaled a sigh. “How will I know that this is Blood?”
“You will know.”
The griffin reached over and flipped over the lid, looked, and replaced the lid without comment. She stood up and walked back over to the window, staring out across the sea. There she stood in silence, contemplating what she had just seen. “You do realize that this means war.”
The pegasi did not say anything. “I have come to deliver this message. That is my duty done. The Eleonora is seven days out. You have until then to decide.”
“Tell your new master that Lost Hope will fight back,” Garim growled still looking out the window.
The Eleonora pegasi turned and left without any further comment. The other Watu paused and waited for Garim, who nodded slightly. The Watu then followed the pegasi out to ensure that the trip to the Eleonora wouldn’t take place. There would be no warning. They would come expecting a surrendered port only to stumble into an ambush. She would have the head of the one who killed Blood. Then she would be the one in charge. After she made a few ‘accidental’ kills with the city council. Maybe, just maybe, she could finally achieve her dream.
Maybe, just maybe, she could finally be truly free.
The pegasi landed on the deck, a large gash along his left torso. He had already been treated on his flight back by other pegasi trained in medicine, but that was an earth pony specialty. As he landed, two ponies immediately went to work on him stitching up his wounds. The Watu, despite his serious condition, stood up and saluted the Guard in the Watu fashion and lowered his head in respect.
“I have delivered your message, sir.” The Watu said. “It was as you had said. It was the female griffin, Garim, who was left in charge of the city.”
“Then everything is according to plan,” the Guard replied. “We will be met with little to no resistance.”
The Guard turned towards the Watu commander and nodded. The commander in turn blew on a whistle and instantly there was a commotion all around them. In a few moments two griffin airships began to soar into the sky and the Eleonora trained her cannons towards the horizon. The magic-powered motors made the entire ship shake as the carefully calculated trajectories were being committed by the newly created gun-crews, courtesy of the unicorns from the Griffin Empire.
Wish looked to the captain as the Guard walked off, the wolf that was the Alpha of Alphas following close behind him. The captain just shrugged at Wish. “I don’t know what goes through his mind.”
“Neither do I. And that’s what is scary,” Wish stated matter-of-factly.
“What is?”
“That confidence. I know deep down it shouldn’t make sense. I mean, how could it? Yet, I just can’t help myself. I know that it’s beyond all expectations, but I can accept it only because it’s him who says it.” Wish shook her head. “Am I a fool?”
“He convinced me to come after you, didn’t he?”
“But… did he know? I mean, I didn’t know. You didn’t know. How could you? How could I? How was I supposed to know that living day to day in a job that was against everything I believed in would finally bring me together with you?” Wish shuddered. “I know he isn’t able to know things, but when he does something and I take a moment to stand back and see it for what it is, I just can’t accept it.”
“You mean you can’t explain what he does?”
“And that I can’t explain how he always ends up almost right all the time. From what you’ve told me and what I’ve witnessed, right down to fighting the two strongest beings on this ship, he has been a step ahead of everyone.”
The captain shrugged. “Well, then do what I did.”
“And what is that?”
“Move on. It’s just who he is. Sometimes you just can’t explain certain things.”
“But… that just confuses me more! I’ve thought of it as well. How can you just accept it without questioning it?”
Again the captain shrugged. “It is what it is. He does things that are beyond our understanding. He’s just proven time and again that he’s not a pony you can stop.”
The mare turned and frowned. The answer did not answer anything, but it did at the same time. She had made a vow and was not about to abandon her ship, her word, nor her crew. She would see this through even if it meant storming the borders of Equestria herself. She would follow this stallion to the bitter end. The only question left was: where was he going to take her?
Garim narrowed her eyes at the so-called ‘City Council’. They were shouting at each other trying to get the majority of the Watu to protect their own slave cages and prisons. Deep down Garim felt nothing but the disgust for them. Made rich from the injustice and suffering of others, most lived as ‘respectable’ folk in Equestria. Years of cleverly disguising their trade had made those within the kingdom’s boundaries unaware of the lurking evil that hid there. The Royal Guard was hard pressed to find these culprits, and how does one find justice when they themselves are either protected or are in charge, sitting in the most powerful and influential positions? It’s not like every inch of the border can be watched by the Border Guard.
Then there were those Border Guards involved with the trade itself. Something that she couldn’t understand. Even griffins wouldn’t sell one another. They wouldn’t mind slaughtering them and their entire family, but never sell them as slaves.
Not unless they were really, really bad. After all, to griffins, slavery is far worse than death. Death at least left your dignity intact. Slavery stole everything, including your freedom and dignity. Perhaps that was why she felt the way she did towards the group of ponies, camels and other creatures around the large oval table. Even a dog was there.
Probably why she ended up as one. Twice!
She ground her beak at that. How she would’ve loved to take revenge back home and slaughter those that sold her off. No, not home. This was her home now, as much as it disgusted her. Still, she had landed a pretty cushy job, and despite not getting paid, she pretty much had the run of things. For the most part. It was still extremely dangerous, and she could not let her guard down for even a second. She hated having to take a weapon with her everywhere she went. Even when she needed to go to the toilet, she found that it was too dangerous to not have something on her.
She envied the unicorns for that. They had their magic. Even if they couldn’t or didn’t have weapons around, they could still create havoc with their horns. At least she could fly. There was that. And she was a great flier. Untold Watu pegasi were a testament to that. After all, you don’t get promoted in the Watu. You get placed in a position that needs filling, usually due to a sudden vacancy.
And Garim’s position was a highly sought after prize.
Still, like with most things, there was the downside. She had to oversee the slave trade in its entirety, ignore the random killings and other crimes that no sane being should commit. She had to put aside what it actually was and treat the whole salve thing like a typical business. Merchandise, that’s what they were called. Nothing more than items to be inventoried, analysed and sold. Except, in this business, she wasn’t allowed to keep a single bit from the profits. None of them could. Those were exclusively for the dragon, and the dragon alone.
But the dragon was dead. If the Watu was telling the truth.
But it was Blood’s head. She had seen it. The face looked strange, though. Despite only glancing at it for a moment, she wondered why the face looked so placid. So calm. So… peaceful. Shouldn’t the rage-filled, fire-obsessed, hate-exuding unicorn that was the primary commander of all the Watu die a horribly painful death. The amount of beings that he killed were astounding.
And yet there was another who was capable of defeating him. Another who could best the supreme Watu leader in combat. A part of Garim wanted to believe that Blood had lost to a number of astounding odds, but that impression wasn’t there when she talked to the Watu pegasi that delivered the message. He was full of confidence and pride. That was something unexpected. Most Watu were beaten down into submission and forced to obey through fear of death; that a wrong move would make the higher-ups order his demise. Not the case for this pegasi. In fact he seemed… disciplined. The warrior edge was still there, she felt it, but it was also controlled.
Like a Guard.
“No! My stocks are far more valuable than yours,” the gray stallion shouted as he slammed his hooves on the metal table. “I’ve got twenty alphas ready to roll out as of now! I need my pens guarded!”
A bored looking camel picked up some first-grade Equestrian oats that had been ‘imported’ by way of a raid on a convoy a few months earlier. He ate a couple and held the rest in between his toes. “I disagree. My stock is far more valuable, but I don’t need any special attention. After all, I do have my own personal guards, unlike you.”
The gray stallion growled. “Watch your mouth, camel.”
“Oh? What are you going to do? Magic it shut? I’d like to see you try.”
The gray stallion stuck out his lower jaw. “Don’t make me kill you.”
At that, the camel merely laughed. “You and what army? You touch a hair on my hump and my kind will run you and your partners into the ground, whatever respect you and your family enjoy over in your beloved kingdom will be ruined. Your kind does not take kindly to slavery, nor to those involved with it. Or do you not care about your position in, what is the name of the city again?”
The camel armed to the teeth, whose face was covered in a thick cloth, whispered something into the speaker’s ear.
“Ah, yes. Canterlot. Isn’t that your capital? Perhaps your princess would like to have the names involved from your House, would she not?”
The gray stallion sat back down and said nothing., but those eyes spoke of their intense hatred.
“It’s the Watu’s job to ensure that the city is adequately protected,” a well dressed pony in white stated. She wore a thin veil across her face and was smoking from a long pipe that ran into a large golden bowl. She puffed a few delicate rings into the air before replacing the device to her lips. “Right, Garim?”
The griffin turned her attention towards the mare. “Correct. Protecting this city and its assets is indeed my primary function.”
“If that’s your job, then do it! Send a squadron of pegasi and take that ship back!” the gray stallion shouted angrily, obviously taking out his frustration on her instead of the camel.
Garim reached over to a glass of wine and sipped on it. She didn’t like wine as much as a nice strong cider, but that was hard to come by. She slowly and deliberately placed the glass down on the table in front of her, then twisted around and slammed her axe straight down on it, splitting the glass in two and leaving the blade embedded deep within the table’s edge.
Every pony, camel, giraffe, and creature jumped in their seats, and more than one weapon was drawn by the time Garim had turned her back to the table and stood gazing out the window. “He’s dead.”
It took a moment for someone to recover. The mare, Garim noted.
“Who’s dead?”
“The dragon. The ship is out of our control.” Garim stated nonchalantly and paused waiting for this bit of information to really sink in. She had stated it before, but with more gravity and it was clear that they didn’t listen to her the first time. With their eyes increasing in size, it was clear that this time the effect of the message hit home. “Even if I sent every pegasi here, none would come back.”
“Wait. Did you say the dragon is dead?” the camel asked through the overbearing silence that persisted.
Garim sighed exasperatedly. She had already given them the status of things, but as per usual they were too busy with their own little problems. So she had stopped and told them about how the Watu were busy learning how to do a musical number with the slaves. Of course it was total nonsense, but she didn’t want to have to repeat herself. She figured that the only ones that would have listened was the mare. If only she wasn’t addicted to that terrible substance.
That narcotic.
It was actually a genius move on behalf of Blood and the dragon, to create such a powerful narcotic and then monopolized the substance’s secret and distribution. It affected almost every creature, no matter what their resistance, but the side effect was terrible. Or was it? Memory loss. Was that such a terrible thing for a creature who had been tricked into becoming addicted to this horrid substance?
Be that as it may, this mare managed to make a cheaper imitation of said narcotic and used it for herself. But it was expensive to make and to maintain her habit she needed the bits. No honest form of living in Equestria could afford such an addiction, and thus this white mare was forced into a trade she wanted nothing to do with. Another victim of the dragon’s clutches.
Still, she was smart. Incredibly so. She would have to be to figure out how to mimic the drug. She took tiny bits, but the side effect still lingered and the white mare found herself becoming more and more absent minded. She even had to resort to using notes and pads to keep track of her daily routine. She wrote it in code, of course, so that others who found it back in Equestria could not implicate her on her involvement with the slave trade.
“What should we do?” the mare asked keeping composed.
Garim smirked and sat back down in her seat. “Surrender.”
That brought a sudden outburst of angry remarks, retorts, arguments and threats. Garim remained silent and calm throughout it all as the medley of rich, greedy, selfish, slave-trading scum spouted their diatribe at each other and at her. She did not interfere. No use getting involved with a pointless argument, but deep down she felt a slight smugness at it all. She was witnessing the worst-case scenario for them, and the best-case for her. Even if whatever the pegasus told her was false, she was still in a position of feigning ignorance.
“You must be mad!” the gray stallion spoke up. “Surrender? Whatever for? Don’t our bits pay for your protection against outsiders and ensuring our ‘cargoes’ get to their intended destinations?”
“But the dragon is dead,” Garim replied calmly. “I doubt his protection is valid any longer.”
“W-what are you saying?”
“I’m saying that we’re no longer obligated in protecting your ‘cargo’. Your personal guards are going to have to do that. Without the dragon to purchase your cargo to ship them, what use are they to us?”
And like that, the full realization of the impact hit home.
“You can’t do that to me!” the gray stallion shouted, sitting up on his chair. “I’ve spent good amount of bits in getting prime merchandise out of Canterlot! Do you know what would happen to me and my reputation if I were to be found out?”
“Quite frankly, I don’t care. We all know that without the protection of the Watu overseeing the city that you all would start your own little wars fighting over who owns what. Since we have no leaders, nor does the Watu want any, you could say that protection fees have been initiated. At around one thousand bits.”
The camel laughed. “You think you can threaten us?”
“I’m not threatening you. I am just not going to protect you or yours if you don’t pay up.”
There was some more discussion before there was an unspoken agreement. That would mean that these creatures would try to recruit Watu to their personal armies. Problem was, and this was something that none of them had realized yet, the number of forces aboard the Eleonora was three times than what was left behind. It didn’t matter anyway.
Lost Hope was doomed.
“That was really quite something, Garim,” The white unicorn said as she took another puff from her contraption and took a piece of scented paper and gave it a delicate whiff before giving it to one of her stallions. He was gorgeous, perhaps from a far eastern province or further to the north. Garim told herself she would most certainly would not mind taking him for a tour of her room in the keep.
“Thanks,” the griffin replied.
“I will, of course, not be coming back. I have a feeling that my habit will kill me anyway. Might as well try and survive the withdrawals. I would like to forget all this -- if I survive.”
“You think you’ll forget?” Garim asked pouring herself a glass and offering another to the mare, who refused with a raised hoof.
Garim smiled inwardly. Still didn’t trust her. Never drink a glass poured by someone you didn’t trust. That was the easiest way to get poisoned, or worse -- drugged and find yourself locked into a cell ready for the next shipment.
“I don’t know, but if what you said is true, then it’s undoubtedly time to put aside old habits. I’m old, my body cannot take much more of this abuse,” the white mare lifted up her chin and pulled back the veil that covered her face.
There was bile crawling up the back of Garim’s throat as she saw what lay behind that mask. The veil did a wonderful job at covering everything despite being quite sheer. Perhaps it was the delicate embroidery, or the expensive looking cloth, or perhaps there was a charm cast upon it. Whatever the case, it hid missing teeth, bleeding gums, swollen lips, scabby corners of her lips, a slightly yellowish pallor to her skin around the mouth that made her look ill or plastic. Garim took a sip of the drink and swallowed back her bile. Years of experience kept her face passive and calm.
The mare smiled. “You are not disgusted by what you see?”
“Seen worse,” Garim stated with a slight shrug. “In my line of work, you see things that make your face a delight.”
The mare laughed at that. “You do know how to flatter, but even you cannot hide your disgust from me.” She sighed and replaced her veil. “I rue the day Blood tricked me into taking his ‘medicine’. I will curse it till the day I die.”
“You were tricked by him?” Garim asked casually.
The mare smiled. “When you’re lonely, you sometimes forget what is important. I was rich, my father had left me with a sizeable fortune. I was, therefore, looking to start my own path in a world that was hidden from those I saw as ignorant from the closed societies of Canterlot. Of course, I had no idea just how… problematic my hobby had become to Blood and the Watu.”
“What did you do?”
This time the mare’s smile vanished. “I wanted to spread peace, songs, tried to mix in with different cultures and different kinds of intelligent beings. I made many, many friends, went far and wide. When I heard what was happening here, I thought I could reason with them.”
“I take it that that didn’t get very far.”
“The dragon wanted to end my life, but Blood… he was smarter. He knew that a mare like me would’ve been more problematic dead than alive. Afterall, I had made so many friends. One day he just… injected me his poison, and here I am.” The mare giggled. It sounded musical. Divine. Almost like princess Celestia herself, or at least how Garim imagined her to sound like when she laughed. Did she laugh? Could she laugh? She had heard so much about her, but it was hard to separate the myth from the truth, especially out here. “Over time my addiction pushed away all those I loved. Everypony I cared for. Gone. My fortune. Gone. Everything. Gone. Soon, it’ll be my time. I will die alone and poor, forgotten from the world. Like I deserve.”
Garim could not respond to that. The mare was one of the richest and most successful slavers there. She had kidnapped hundreds of ponies from her homeland and brought them here to be sold on. So, Garim could not pity her despite knowing the truth about her past, but she understood as well. That narcotic made the Watu what they were.
It was a good thing that Garim never was injected with that stuff. She had been tempted many times, but thankfully never committed. But all that did was make her more obedient and subservient to Blood by choice. So, was she really that different from the mare across from her? Did she really have the right to hold a higher moral ground after all those that died by her axe?
The explosion ripped through the night like a clap of thunder. Garim was up, armed, and outside in the sky before the second volley hit. She rested atop a cloud with some of the other pegasi Watu and looked below.
“What’s going on?”
“They are shelling us,” the pegasi stated. “Can’t even see over the horizon. Must be the Eleonora.”
“What’s that light over there?” Garim asked, pointing to a large object in the sky.
“A manna airship.”
“What are they shelling?”
“The harbor mostly. Most of the slavers are leaving, their personal guards escorting them back to wherever it is they came from.”
“They are just leaving the slaves behind?” Garim asked incredulously.
The pegasi looked at her. “Yes, ma’am.”
Of course they would. For so long she had thought that the slaves were the most important things there that she forgot the most important thing of all to these creatures. Their lives. No matter what, that always came first.
“What are your orders?” the Watu asked.
Garim shook her head. “Nothing.”
“Then we flee?”
“If you want. If whomever or whatever is in that ship beat both the dragon and Blood and managed to tame the Watu to follow, then we’ve already lost. And, from the looks of it, the griffins are helping out. I think… I think it’s over.”
And, as if on cue, on the horizon the Eleonora finally appeared.
As the ship pulled into the dock, the commotion from the slaves ranged from horror to excitement. Some believed that they were going to be killed, others believed that they had somehow been saved, but others were barely accepting of either, still shocked that they were what they were in the first place. The return of the Eleonora just nailed that concept deeper into the brains.
The Watu from the Eleonora had poured out in full force, in ranks, ordered, armed and were for all purposes no longer mere Watu. They were different. They were not like the Watu that had remained behind. These had become something else. They were strong in resolve, not just greed. They had been trained, and in such a short time as well. Whomever they obeyed, they did so out of their own will. Blood and the Dragon ruled through fear and for those that did not fear them, through narcotics or gold, but now they seemed content with what they were.
They were more dangerous now than before. And most of them them wore a red sash around their necks, the knot tucked neatly behind the peytral.
Garim stood where she was at the other end of the large slave pen. The slaves were still confused and panic seemed to emanate in small pockets everywhere. She noted that the main bridge of the ship was gone. Nothing but a smouldering ruin still smoking remained. From her vantage she could also see that parts of the massive decks were heavily destroyed, and a sizeable gash could be seen roughly patched up along one side of the ship.
What had gone on on that ship?
Just then, a lone figure stood up and walked forward.
It was a dog. Not just any dog, but a wolf. It walked forwards proudly with his head held high, and he walked into the slave-yard parting its denizens before him. All feared him, for he was the alpha of alphas. Following him were rows and rows of other dogs spreading out from behind, like a fan. Each step forwards they took pushed the slaves back like a body of water being buried by sand.
The Watu had already taken key points on and along the city, guarding all the main streets and armories. The two airships were located at the north and southern ends of the city, restricting ground force attempts to the heavily guarded forests to the west.
It was perfectly planned, but unnecessary. All resistance fled the moment they started bombarding the harbor, two days ago. The city was theirs.
And whatever was in it.
“Open the main doors!” a shout bellowed from the deck and Garim spotted Wish with the regular crew standing at the ready along the top of the ship, overlooking the slaves. They were all dressed in their formal gear, but again there was a red sash across their bodies. Like the Watu.
The loud groaning and creaking of the wooden doors as they pushed outwards was the only sound that could be heard as they swung slowly open, forming the huge ramps into the darkness of the ship’s interior. As the crash of the wood on the ground faded, silence once more loomed.
Not a soul moved.
“Mom?” a voice called out through one of the massive doors.
A little filly appeared at the threshold of the ship’s exit and stood there gazing at the crowd before her. Confusion was rife in the thousands that saw her, but she didn’t care about that. All she cared about was one thing at that moment. She searched high and low, looking as hard as she could over the masses that stood transfixed and bewildered by what they were seeing. A thousand eyes were pinned upon her, but she looked for the only ones that mattered to her at that moment.
“Mom?”
The little filly at the entrance to the most hated ship they all knew took a deep breath and, with all the might her little lungs could muster, called out once more.
“Mom!” she screamed, holding that word for as long as her voice could.
Silence.
As if waking from a trance, a voice did return that call. “P-Petal?”
“Mom?”
A cry of utter disbelief. “Petal!”
“Mom!”
Not a soul dared breathe as the little filly rushed over the lowered gangplank and headed straight towards the source of those warm words. But there were too many in the way. Too many to move.
The rhino closest to her laughed, tears in his eyes, for hope and happiness were so alien to him here, and this was a welcome sight to behold. He picked her up and passed her to a unicorn behind him, who kissed her forehead and embraced her before passing her on to another, and another, and another, and another, until, at last, she was placed into the warmest embrace she could ever hope for.
“Mom!” she choked and rubbed her face into her. “Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy…”
“Oh, Petal. I thought I’d never see you again!”
All that was heard was the sound of the filly crying with the joy and relief she felt and the applause of thousands as they shared in their happiness. Shared in their moment.
Wish smirked and blinked away the tears that were forming. “Alright.” She stomped a hoof on the deck. “The rest of you, get off my ship!”
And the crowd that hid in the shadows of the ship did as they were told. A tidal wave of creatures of all sorts walked, ran, danced, marched, stomped, crawled into the light to be greeted with smiles and cheers. Families were rejoined, lovers found one another, friends embracing one another, and for those that did not find any, for many had perished in the voyage across the sea, still had something. They took comfort in knowing that their loved ones died on their own terms. That they had died free.
“Now I understand,” the captain muttered rubbing his hoof against his eye, “why the Guard did all that he did. It wasn’t about force. It wasn’t about attacking or conquering this place. It was about change. It was about bringing back something we were all missing.”
“What’s that?”
“Hope.”
“Hope?” Wish repeated quietly. “Yes. Hope. He brought back hope.”
There was not a sad face in the sea of beings, and some refused to believe what was happening was real. Like a dream, they were still asleep or, better yet, dead. Still, it was real. It was happening.
And standing at the bow of the ship, overlooking it all, was a lone figure, whose plume flowed with the winds as he watched with unreadable eyes. The colors of the setting sun hiding him in the shadows of his armor. Like a statue, he watched silently. Finally, he made a sign and the dogs charged forwards and bit through the chains and shackles that bound the slaves. At once they understood.
They were free.
“You want us to what?” Garim asked.
“Want? No. You will do. Declare this area from here to the Equestrian border now a protectorate of the Kingdom of Equestria. You will send messengers to your borders and you will have the Watu guarding those gates return here under orders. The Eleonora will be kept under the care of the Watu until the Guard comes to relieve them of it.”
Garim looked at the Guard. “You actually think that Equestria will accept this-”
“They will. The Watu will remain a military force here under the command of Commander Bow. He served with the Royal Guard before being banished. The Silver Moon pack will also remain here as my eyes and ears in case the Watu decide to rebel. The Alpha of Alphas and any dog in his pack will have free roam of this area. Understood?”
“Y-yes.”
“Captain Wish will be relieved of her duties as the captain of the Eleonora and be officially instated as the ambassador to Equestria.”
“W-what?” Wished asked, completely shocked. “I can’t! I’ve been banished from-”
“You will have diplomatic immunity to the banishment that was given. Your new official title gives you the right of passage.”
Every single being there looked at Wish.
“If that is your command.”
“It is. You will leave with me in one week’s time.”
Wish nodded. “I will make the most of the time I have then.”
“Your spouse will have your immunity,” the Guard stated.
“I’m not married-” Wish blushed. “Thank you. I will keep that in mind, sir.”
“You may go.”
Wish got up and left, her steps getting quicker as she reached the door and she quickly closed it behind her.
“Excitable little thing, since she found that stallion of hers,” Garim muttered a little jealously. Not of the stallion. Just the fact she had one.
The Guard turned to Garim. “I have asked and have heard that you know this area very well, that you have managed the city’s going-ons quite successfully in the absence of the dragon. You will be this city’s mayor and governor.”
“Me?” Garim asked astounded. “But… I’m griffin!”
“Does that hamper your ability to govern?”
“Well… no, but-”
“Then I see no issue. Does anyone else?” There was not a soul at the meeting that did so. “Then am I within my power to grant Garim this post?”
There were nods all around. As far as they were concerned, if he had ordered them to suit up and march on Equestria at that moment for war, they would have.
The Guard looked at Garim. “Mayor. I take it you’ll have a busy day. We have some griffins that need to be introduced into this society.”
Garim took the hint. “Uh… thank you, sir. I will not let you down.”
When the door closed behind Garim, she sighed and walked down the hall to where the griffins were waiting. They were all tremendously shocked at their situation, and it was understandable. They were being treated nothing like the propaganda back at the Empire portrayed the ponies would. They were not looking to eat them or hurt them, for the most part, although a large number of slaves did mutter something about it. Still, that was to be expected.
Did the Guard’s earlier actions take this into account? Did he actually try to sooth these wounds by showing the slaves that the griffins had helped?
Perhaps. She wouldn’t have put it past him.
And she had got her chance. Lost Hope was hers now. A griffin chosen as the mayor of an unofficial protectorate -- for now -- of the pony kingdom. A part of her wished she could be back home and see the faces of the nobles when they get wind of this. Especially to a certain few.
Wish was bored. Real bored. Of course she would be after spending a week in Lost Hope. No. The had changed its name. Freeport.
That party was one to remember. She had not let her mane down (figuratively speaking) in a long time, and it showed. She blushed as she remembered half of what the captain had told to her, whispering all those things into her ear while the streets were full of smiles and joy. She noted to herself that seven strong ciders were her limit. The Watu, for the most part, were well behaved during this time. They revelled, but they understood that this celebration was for the newly freed individuals, not them. And they accepted it.
And she was also a little angry because her captain refused to come with her back to Equestria despite being offered to do so. But she understood. He had spent so long running from there that going back felt weird. The only reason she agreed to it was because she had vowed to follow the Guard’s orders no matter what.
And so here she was, travelling in a unofficial official carriage to the border of Equestria with the Guard at the front and a contingent of Watu in their new getup. She didn’t like those masks, but the Guard insisted that they be worn.
They were to intercept one of the illegal trades that Garim had pinpointed. News of Lost Hope’s fall had not spread too far as of yet. Word like that took time. So, there were still slave trades and routes happening and Garim was bent on capturing all those involved with the trade. Wish had not thought that about the griffin. She was always on Blood’s side, but now that she reflected a little on it, it made sense.
But what was that Guard bringing along that needed all this protection? Perhaps it was a show and pomp. A part of Wish didn’t really buy that though. The chest that was brought was locked with some serious spells. Whatever was in there was something that he did not want taken.
As she was thinking about that, she felt the carriage stop. She peeked out of the window. “What’s going on?”
“Guard says to wait here for the trade,” the Watu replied.
It took three more days before the convoy arrived. By that time, news of Freeport had traveled across the lawless lands. That was evident as more and more ponies were moving towards the city along the same road they had taken. They were travelling in their dozens in fully loaded carts making towards what was now the only safe city outside of Equestria. Guess they didn’t realize that the very ground they were walking on was also protected.
Thanks to the Guard.
Of course, the sight of the Watu made plenty of these curious ponies stop and mill about, wondering why such an entourage was hanging about in an uneventful place.
On the third day a group of slavers had come trailing a series of wagons and carts behind them. The first few were emptied, the prisoners placed on a hill next to the road to be easily observed (and shot if they tried to run for it). Wish watched as the Equestrian Guards, the same breed as the Guard that had beat the most dangerous beings on her ship, began to taunt the ponies bringing them to tears. And if that didn’t seem to affect them, they just beat a few for fun. Wish wanted to throw up in her mouth. How did she put up with this for so long? Was she really that blind to it?
The Guard waited patiently as the group of the corrupt Equestrian Guards walked over to him. He did not say anything while they explained that they had a certain number of unicorns, earth ponies and a few pegasi. They also went on to demand that they be paid extra for capturing two very prominent Guards.
Wish felt sick at that. What had Equestria come to now that her own Guards were trading their own over the border?
“No.”
“W-what do you mean ‘no’? Do you understand, Watu? I have two highly skilled Guards here. You know, the same Guards who best your crummy lot every time you try to infringe on our turf. Don’t think we haven’t noticed that!” The mare shouted.
“No. You misunderstand. We don’t want any slaves.”
The mare blinked. “You’re joking, right?” She laughed, but it diminished just as quickly as it was abundantly clear that the faces of the Watu hidden behind these masks were impossible to tell anything. She peered at the pony in front of her hard. “You’re not joking? What? Somepony brought in a large shipment of griffins?”
“Something like that. But more. Slavery has not been abolished here. We are here to arrest you. Do not resist.”
The mare shouted some profanity that would have made the hardest sailor blush. Then she drew the blade and Wish gulped. After all their time together, this would be the first time she would see him fight. This would be the first time she would see this stallion in combat.
The Guard drew.
“What? What, what, what? You? You’re a Guard? No. Impossible! What are you doing over here? Wait. You were banished, weren’t you? You can’t just-”
“Equestrian law applies here now. Drop your weapon.”
“This isn’t Equestria!” the mare screamed. “This. Isn’t. Equestria!”
The fight lasted barely longer than she could blink.
In fact, Wish did not even realize it was over until the Watu around her started casting spells at the other Guards trying to flee or resist. In five minutes everything was over. Not a single one of the Equestrians that came across the border survived.
It strangely felt very anticlimactic after everything, but she was so glad that it was over. No. That wasn’t right. She was glad that the last chapter of her life has closed. Now it was time for a new one. And the first thing she would do when she got into Equestria was to see her family. She hadn’t seen them in so, so long.
Too long.
Much too long.
Ruby stared at Semper for a long while still not knowing what to say. Indeed, his regaling of the past events were uneventful to say the least. Short, brief, to the point, exact. No elaboration, no embellishments. Cold hard facts. If anypony else heard it, it would have been the most boring story ever told, but it wasn’t a story, and its impact was sending ripples in the highest echelons of Canterlot’s governing bodies.
“Do you understand what you have done, Lance Corporal?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Let me spell it out for you. Your primary objective was to establish better relations with Zebrica. You’ve not only done that, but you’ve also opened up new trade routes. The tribes have agreed to set up an embassy of sorts in Canterlot, and you’ve allowed free passage into most of Zebrica. It is… amazing.”
The stallion stood at attention.
“All because you decided to chase after a Zebra filly across into Griffin waters, where you not only returned her to her mother, but also managed to convert an entire section of hostile territory, territory that we have tried three times to take by force in the past, practically on your own.” Ruby shook her head. “And you managed to find help in the face of overwhelming odds and do things that are impossible. Do you understand? You’re practically the king of your own nation, yet you willfully granted power to the Equestrian Royalty, giving the Royal Guards, not the Border Guard, permission to enter these lands under the pretext of handing over the most powerful naval ship known, which was one of the many reasons why we never took that area by force in recent years. Then you freed all the slaves and renamed the city, found and destroyed pockets of foalnappers that have been taking ponies around Equestria, and even came back with that gift for Her Highness.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Semper, I know you’re not stupid. Do you understand the impact of what you have done?”
The stallion remained silent.
“You have made every pony in Canterlot terrified of you. I can’t stress this enough. You’ve done things that are impossible. Impossible! Even as I sit here and tell you this, there are those in Canterlot that are going to make your life miserable. You did your job above and beyond the call of duty, and that is putting it mildly. You’re too dangerous, Semper. Much too dangerous.” Ruby stood up. “You changed too much too quickly.”
The stallion remained silent, those eyes unreadable.
“You’re being promoted. Master Sergeant, Semper Pie. This will put your rank over mine. This is usually done with all the pomp and ritual befitting someone of your… uniqueness, but there are too many who still don’t understand you and fear you. Your promotion will take place now. After I pin this on your armor, you’re out of my mane.” Ruby opened a small box with the emblem on it. She walked over and was about to pin it on the stallion when she stopped. “Before… before I pin this on you, tell me, that Zebra mare. Do you love her?”
Semper looked at Ruby dead in the eyes.
“I see. Then why did you go after her when she was foalnapped?”
The stallion did not respond.
“Don’t tell me that you… you knew the impact of saving her-” she cut herself off. “No. I don’t want to know.”
She leaned in but stopped.
“One more thing. Blood…”
This time Semper’s eyes shifted slightly to look at her.
“Blood… do… did you know his real name?”
“No, ma’am.”
She looked down, took a deep breath, and quickly pinned the rank on Semper, stepped back and saluted. Just like that, he was her superior now.
Just like that.
She then took an envelope out from the other side of her desk and hoofed it over to him. “Your orders. Sir.”
Semper took them, saluted, turned and headed for the door without another word.
“Semper- sir… off the record, did… did he… did he suffer? Did Blood...”
Semper did not turn around. “He suffers no more, ma’am.”
With that, he stepped beyond the threshold and marched off, the door clicking shut behind him.
Ruby saluted the figure from behind the door, eyes wet with fresh tears. “Thank you, Semper Pie. Thank you.”
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Damn... that was something.
Cannot wait for the next chapter!
And now back to Pinkie, I assume.
You're welcome!
5483421
That... I... ... it's... ... ... This is one of the greatest fics ever to grace this site. It' like you took Pinkie's ability to do the impossible, combined it with enough badassery and military expertise to out shine Rambo, than gave the guy more determination and confidence than Liam Neeson in any of the Taken movies. Oh, and I'm really happy it's not dead too!
I know it's not even been two months since the last chapter, but it just feels like forever since I've read a chapter of this story.
The Pinkie Sense is not restricted to just Pinkie...
Wait what? The story has a main character? Sorry but it just seems a little much when a back story for a main character isn't actually about the character. I will admit he is an epic character but he just seems really flat; he has had the silent super soldier persona since basic and he hasn't really changed much since then, so far pretty much every character but Semper is shown to have at least more than one side to them. But what do I know, I'm still interested to see where this goes.
Okay, I'll admit I was getting a little tired of how long this arc was going on for without any mention of the whole pinkie portion of the story, but damn, that was a fantastic conclusion to it! I love how you wrapped the pie family ability to do the impossible into Semper, and how well everything wrapped up. I really didn't expect the last little bit with Ruby and that was brilliant.
I shall be eagerly awaiting the next chapter!
5484299
The main character isn't a character, it's a red thread guiding the story.
This was... NO
IS
BEAUTIFUL!
IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL!
NOTICE ME SEMPER PIE!
5483564 Thank you!
These are tears of joy! This is such a beautiful and amazing story.
Still wish I could have tortured all the slavers with infinite life, but not eternal youth though. Throw in rapid aging.
Awesome! ADHD RUNS RAMPANT IN MY MIND RIGHT NOW! DUE TO IT'S AWESOMENESS! NOTICE ME SEMPER PIE!
OH MY GOD IT'S AMAZING AND I LOVE IT
My goodness, it lives. Quite nice.
thanks for the update!!
Ok I've heard of Battlefield promotions but damn mate if I'm reading this correctly you just made Semper jump from an e-3 to an e-8 based on Marine ranks. That's bloody impressive.
I give this chapter 6 out of 5 awesomes! Impossible you say? Yes, well the pie clan seems to prefer it that way.
This story is amazing.
5484489 I agree, he really isn't a character, but more of a force of nature. xD He's a really well rounded plot device, and I mean that in the kindest of ways.
{Remove}
His
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Comes
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5488652 Thank ye kindly. Scold them proof readers.
good now all we need to do is figure out what's wrong with Pinkie.
Wow. Pinkie is like randomliciously crazy, and Semper has no emotion. Whatsoever. How again are they related?
Anyway, This story is going in my favorites. Nothing like pony kicking butt to make my day
All because he went to rescue a zebra filly.
5493787
He's a Pie. Don't question it, just roll with it. That, or go crazy trying to figure out how he does things.
5510797 Pinkie's sense and 'powers, let her see the future to make ponies happy or for comedic effect, Semper's is to protect ponies and make the world safer, which is what stopping the slave trade and getting the zebras whose miracules potions they didn't have acess to due to the nature of thier nations relations, to trade with equistria. Pinkie is the light in the darkness bringing cheer where ever she goes, where as Semper is her counter part the unfeeling bastion upon which the darkness of the breaks itself. Or at least that's what I think.
This coming from the Griffin whose father was assassinated and whose mother was sold off as a sex slave to a Griffin "noble"?
This has to be the greatest chapter I read so far. So this is one of Semper's several great accomplishments... I wonder when we get to the one that caused Pinkie to nearly have a heart-attack
At the very start of the chapter: "Red Ruby". You've called her Ruby Flame on every occasion before, and this seems to be the precise same character.
Anyways, for all his talents, Semper really doesn't have much of a sense for names. "Freeport"? Should have been "New Hope", more like it.
But yeah, the more this arc goes on, the more ridiculous it sounds that Twilight didn't know who Semper Pie was, even if the nobility of Canterlot were busy trying to write him out of the history books.
Okay now I understand why you didn't put in the detail about what happened with the Captain and the Griffons. Quite the amazing chapter we have here! I love devouring every section of this fanfic, with the exception of a few errors or strangely written sentences, but now I am starting to dread that time when I actually manage to finish this fanfic.